The Tampa Bay Buccaneers hit a home run when they selected safety Antoine Winfield Jr in the second round of the 2020 NFL Draft out of Minnesota. He immediately became an impact player, finishing the year with 94 tackles, six pass deflections, two forced fumbles, and an interception while helping the Buccaneers win their first Super Bowl in nearly two decades.
Winfield has done nothing but build off that tremendous rookie year, and was named First-Team All-Pro in 2023. His consistently dominant play has caught the attention of NFL executives, coaches, and scouts around the league, as they named him the No. 1 safety in the NFL according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler.
“Winfield had a season for the ages in 2023,” Fowler wrote. “He recorded six sacks, six forced fumbles, four fumble recoveries and three interceptions. His 27.9% ball hawk rate was the fourth highest among defensive players targeted at least 30 times. He probably should have been higher than No. 6 in the Defensive Player of the Year voting. The Bucs unlocked Winfield by playing him more in the post in 2023 -- he was primarily a nickelback the previous season.”
According to Fowler, one NFC executive highlighted Winfield’s versatility.
"He had more opportunities as a single-high defender to take throws away with his instincts, range and creating turnovers," the NFC executive said, via Fowler. "He was already excellent in run support and as a blitzer, so it was the perfect combination."
The Bucs will need that level of play from Winfield to continue as their secondary lost Carlton Davis and will be going through somewhat of a state of change.
